Brunei's Local News - Brudirect.com

Bandar Seri Begawan - A Halal Product Academy set for establishment in Brunei soon is hoped to guide and steer the development of the halal market through some of the more complex issues that have arisen, the Deputy Minister of Industry and Primary Resources said yesterday.

Deputy Minister Industry and Primary Resources Dato Paduka Hj Hamdillah Hj Abdul Wahab said in his welcoming speech during the opening ceremony of the 3rd International Halal Market Conference (IHMC) that the project is an idea of an institution that will promote and facilitate collaboration between Ulama, scientists and industry specialists.

The initiative, launched yesterday during the opening of the IHMC 2008, is being led by the Mufti's Department.

"The need for more involvement for our Ulama has been noted at several of the Halal market conferences around the world, and we have taken this fact into consideration here in Brunei

Darussalam," said Dato Hamdillah before an audience of 300 local and international delegates, who gathered at the International Convention Centre for the start of the two-day conference.

"Halal is relatively simple, but industry, and in particular the food industry, has become increasingly complex, and it has become progressively clearer that a new kind of discourse is needed to ensure that industrial procedures remain within the parameters of Syariah compliance."

The ongoing maturation and sophistication of the Halal Industry has brought new questions for Islamic scholars which requires a new level of collaboration with the scientific community and industry specialists, he added.

The conference, held in conjunction with the 3n1 International Halal Products Expo 2008, brought together halal industry experts to share their experience and expertise with participants comprising government officials and representatives from the private sector locally and abroad. It is themed "The Emergence of the Halal Market Economy".

Hajj Abdalhamid Evans of Imarat Consultants, IHMC Consultant and event manager, opened the session with a comprehensive insight into the concept of the halal market economy. Brunei Agriculture Director Hjh Normah Jamil followed next with an account of Brunei's role in the global halal market, with focus on the development of the Brunei Halal Brand.

Ahmad Adam, founder of the American Halal Association and President of Crescent Foods (Chicago), spoke about the need for Halal products to achieve excellence in all aspects of production and distribution.

Moustafa Jassem of Dubai's Al Islami Foods presented next with details on the way his company extended their brand to cover food production, retail and food service as well as restaurants and hospitality.

This was followed by presentations from two new successful SMEs from Malaysia: FA Herbs with their Tanamara brand of spa products, and Liasara with their breaded fruit products both of whom have achieved international success with their new enterprises.

Othman Md Yusoff, Chairman of the Halal Committee of Nestle Malaysia gave encouragement to inspiring SMEs with his account of steps needed to become a supplier to a company such as Nestle. Today will see the continuation of the IHMC 2008 with three sessions: Growing the Halal Market, Research and Development and the Establishment of the Halal Product Academy. -- Courtesy of The Brunei Times